Four of us (two couples) are planning to take a self guided 7-8 day bicycle tour around Lake Constance in May 2023 before we head over to Spain for a RS tour. There seem to be LOTS of tour organizers and I would appreciate any recommendations or recent experiences you have had with the local tour companies. We will be renting bikes and staying in hotels. We are all 60-65 years of age but experienced road bikers. Will probably rent e-bike thoughs. We would like to arrange with a tour operator that provides all of this in one package. If you have hotel, restaurant or tour operator experiences (good or bad) I'd love to hear from you. Thanks
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City of Seattle
1959 posts
Michael hi
I've done close to 20 different bike tours in Europe, including the circuit of Lake Constance. And I re-road part of the l
Lake Constance circuit this summer solo.
Self-guided tours are a great way to go. Regarding self-guided tour agencies, they often are selling the same product from the same tour operator. Or the agency books the hotels, but the operator sets itinerary, moves luggage and rents bikes.
In busy places like the Danube there are more than one tour operator. I'm not sure about Constance. But what's important is to find an agent that is responsive and flexible if you want to change anything. Ask up front if you can adjust itinerary to add lay days or skip places if you want.
Eurobike is a solid if huge agency. I also like OO Touristik which is affiliated with the Austrian state tourist office. A German or Austrian agent is the best choice for a Constance tour.
Regarding the bike ride around Lake Constance, I will be honest and say it is not among my favorites. Surprisingly little of the ride is right along the lake And the lake itself is massive but not particularly scenic in most parts other than a lot of water and fairly I remarkable shoreline But it is good - I'm comparing to A+ scenery.
I would look for a tour that focuses on the west end of the lake. The natural and more rural areas there are nice. Everything down the Rhine to the Rhine Falls is great. Konstanz is a nice town. The north shore from the Konstanz ferry to Lindau involves some busier and not scenic roads. Not a great day of riding. The Swiss part on the south shore I would argue is pretty boring and the path is rarely on the lake. The Austria part is more on the lake but not particularly great but not bad.
A loop from Konstanz around the western part of the lake using some ferries and down to the Rhine Falls and back would be ideal.
Ebikes are a great idea. I rode several popular routes this summer. Ebikes far outnumber regular bikes. In the Mosel River Valley in particular (a wonderful tour) the number of older Germans touring self-guided on Ebikes was remarkable. Rest assured that every summer thousands of folks your age are doing the type of tour you propose on e-bikes, and as experienced road riders you'll be at the top of the heap.
I'm more than happy to answer any questions! Happy travels.